U.S. patent number 6,889,869 [Application Number 10/420,009] was granted by the patent office on 2005-05-10 for tablet dispenser.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Telum AB. Invention is credited to Cristian Hallin.
United States Patent |
6,889,869 |
Hallin |
May 10, 2005 |
Tablet dispenser
Abstract
The disclosure relates to a tablet dispenser comprising an
elongate container (10) for tablets (12) and a dispensing device
for discharging tablets out of the container (10). The dispensing
device includes an operating unit (11) for manual action, a joint
mechanism (14) connected to the operating unit (11), and a slide
(15) projecting from the joint mechanism (14) for accommodating and
dispensing a tablet (12). The operating unit (13), the joint
mechanism (14) and the slide (15) are of one piece manufacture.
Inventors: |
Hallin; Cristian (P.ang.aarp,
SE) |
Assignee: |
Telum AB (Halmstad,
SE)
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Family
ID: |
20414644 |
Appl.
No.: |
10/420,009 |
Filed: |
April 21, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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959490 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
221/223; 221/226;
221/232; 221/260; 221/270 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
83/0418 (20130101); A61J 7/0076 (20130101); B65D
2583/0477 (20130101); A61J 1/03 (20130101); B65D
2583/0481 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
83/04 (20060101); B65H 001/08 (); G07F 011/16 ();
B65G 059/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;221/198,223,226,232,260,261,264,270,272 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Crawford; Gene O.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Smith, Gambrell & Russell
Parent Case Text
The present application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser.
No. 09/959,490, filed Dec. 7, 2001, now abandoned, which is a 371
national stage filing of PCT/SE99/00691, filed Apr. 28, 1999, both
of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A tablet dispenser comprising an elongate container for tablets,
a dispensing device with a slide disposed at one end of the
dispenser for discharging a tablet, and an operating unit at the
other, opposing end of the dispenser, said operating unit being
movable in the longitudinal direction of the dispenser, and a joint
mechanism for transferring movements from the operating unit to the
slide, wherein the joint mechanism has a first arm movable in a
longitudinal direction of the dispenser and connected to the
operating unit, the first arm being connected to a linkage system
for converting the longitudinal movement of the operating unit into
a transverse movement in the slide wherein the linkage system
comprises a second arm connected to the slide and wherein the first
arm and the second arm are pivotally connected to one another by
the intermediary of a pivot.
2. The tablet dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
dispensing device is disposed with one operating unit partly
projecting out of an elongate housing and the elongate container
for the tablets is disposed enclosed in the housing.
3. The tablet dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
dispensing device is spring-biased to a first position in which the
slide is disposed in a position within the housing for
accommodating a tablet and displaceable against spring action to a
second position in which the slide projects out of the housing.
4. The tablet dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
container for the tablets is designed as a tube discharging above
the slide.
5. The tablet dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
operating unit, the joint mechanism and the slide are of one piece
manufacture from injection moulded plastic.
6. The tablet dispenser as claimed in claim 1 wherein the operating
unit, the joint mechanism and the slide are of one piece
manufacture by injection moulding.
7. The tablet dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pivot
is a second pivot and wherein the first arm is pivotally connected
to the operating unit by the intermediary of a first pivot.
8. The tablet dispenser as claimed in claim 7, wherein the joint
mechanism is spring-biased by a spring departing from the joint
mechanism and tensioned against the housing.
9. The tablet dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
dispensing device is spring-biased by a first spring tensioned
against the operating unit.
10. The tablet dispenser as claimed in claim 9, wherein the joint
mechanism is spring-biased by a second spring departing from the
joint mechanism and tensioned against the housing.
11. The tablet dispenser as claimed in claim 10, wherein the joint
mechanism and the second spring are of one piece manufacture.
12. The tablet dispenser as claimed in claim 11, wherein the
operating unit, the joint mechanism, the slide and the second
spring are of one piece manufacture from injection moulded
plastic.
13. A tablet dispenser comprising an elongate container (10) for
tablets (12), a dispensing device with a slide (15) disposed at one
end of the dispenser for discharging a tablet (12), and an
operating unit (11) at the other, opposing end of the dispenser,
said operating unit (11) being movable in the longitudinal
direction of the dispenser, and a joint mechanism (14) for
transferring movements from the operating unit (11) to the slide
(15), characterized in that the joint mechanism (14) has a first
arm (18) connected to the operating unit (11), the arm being
connected to a linkage system (20, 25, 26) for converting the
longitudinal movement of the operating unit (11) into a transverse
movement in the slide (15), wherein the joint mechanism (14)
includes a second arm (20) connected to the slide (15), and wherein
the first arm (18) and the second arm (20) are pivotally connected
to one another by the intermediary of a second pivot (19) and the
first arm is pivotally connected to the operating unit (11) by the
intermediary of a first pivot (17).
14. The tablet dispenser as claimed in claim 13, wherein the
dispensing device is spring-biased to a first position in which the
slide (15) is disposed in a position within the housing (16) for
accommodating a tablet (12) and displaceable against spring action
to a second position in which the slide (15) projects out of the
housing (16).
15. The tablet dispenser as claimed in claim 13, wherein the
dispensing device is spring-biased by a first spring (12) tensioned
against the operating unit (11).
16. The tablet dispenser as claimed in claim 13 wherein the
operating unit (11), the joint mechanism (14) and the slide (15)
are of one piece manufacture by injection moulding.
17. A tablet dispenser, comprising: a container for storing a stack
of tablets; a dispensing device with a slide disposed for receiving
a tablet from the stack for dispensing of the tablet received; an
operating unit being adjustable in a longitudinal direction of the
dispenser; a joint mechanism which comprises a first arm connected
to said operating unit and a linkage system connecting to said
first arm, said linkage system further being connected to the slide
and being arranged for converting longitudinal movement of said
operating unit into a transverse movement in said slide, wherein
said joint mechanism includes a second arm connected to said slide,
and wherein said first arm and said second arm are pivotally
connected to one another by a pivot.
18. The tablet dispenser of claim 17 wherein said pivot, pivotally
connecting said first and second arms, represents a second pivot,
and wherein said first arm is pivotally connected to said operating
unit by a first pivot.
19. The dispenser of claim 17 wherein said slide is positioned
within said container and extends out from said container when
longitudinal movement in said operating unit is converted into
transverse movement in said slide.
20. The tablet dispenser of claim 17 wherein said first arm, second
arm and the connecting pivot connecting said first and second arms
are injected molded as an integral unit with said connecting pivot
being a thinner molded flex region provided between said arms.
21. The tablet dispenser of claim 17 wherein said second arm
includes a foldable portion.
22. The tablet dispenser of claim 17 wherein said second arm
comprises a pivot post and said dispenser further comprises
bushings positioned within said container and receiving respective
ends of said pivot post.
23. The dispenser of claim 17 wherein said slide includes a
recessed region defined by cup-shaped inner walls for receiving a
dispensed tablet.
24. The dispenser of claim 23 wherein said slide is positioned
within said container and extends out from said container when
longitudinal movement in said operating unit is converted into
transverse movement in said slide.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a tablet dispenser comprising an
elongate container for tablets and a dispensing device for
dispensing tablets out of the container. The term tablets is here
taken to signify both tablets containing medicines and other types
of tablets.
BACKGROUND ART
A dispenser for tablets is put into use in, for example, the dosing
of medicines. In such instance, the commonest version of dispenser
is in the form of a box with one or more projecting slides. Such a
slide normally consists of a plurality of compartments. A dispenser
in the form of a box in accordance with the foregoing consists of
several components which are manufactured separately and must then
be assembled to form a finished unit. As a result, manufacturing
costs will be high.
There is a need in the art for a dispenser which may be
manufactured at low cost, which is small in size and easy to carry
and which makes possible the advancement of one tablet at a time.
Such a dispenser would also be usable in other contexts, for
example for sweets (candies) in tablet form.
OUTLINE OF THE INVENTION
One object of the present invention is to realise a dispenser which
satisfies the above-outlined needs. This object is attained in that
the present invention has been given the characterizing features as
set forth in appended Claim 1.
Further advantages and characterizing features of the present
invention are apparent from the appended specification, Drawings
and subclaims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
The present invention will now be described in greater detail
hereinbelow, with the aid of preferred embodiments and with
reference to the accompanying Drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, from the line I--I
in FIG. 4, of an embodiment of a dispenser according to the present
invention;
FIG. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the dispenser of
FIG. 1, seen from another angle;
FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view from the line III--III in FIG. 1;
and
FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view from the line IV--IV in FIG.
1.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 of a dispenser according to
the present invention, all included components are disposed in an
elongate housing 16. The housing 16 is of substantially rectangular
cross section (see FIG. 4) and wholly encloses a container 10 in
the form of a tube of circular cross section or a cross section
formed to accommodate the tablets 12 which are to be located in the
container. In the container 10, there are shown in FIG. 1 a
plurality of objects in the form of tablets 12. The container 10
and the dispenser may also be employed for other types of objects
which are stackable in this manner. In FIG. 1, the dispenser is
shown in the normal position of use with the container 10 extended
in the substantially vertical position.
In FIG. 1, a dispensing device projects up out of the housing 16
with an upper member in the form of an operating unit 11. The
operating unit 11 is designed as a button which, on depression,
dispenses a tablet 12 out of an aperture at the bottom of the
housing 16 (see FIG. 2). The operating unit 11 includes a lid or a
closure member 13 which, in the removed state, exposes an aperture
for replenishment of tablets 12 or the like. The operating unit, or
the button 11, is pivotally connected to a joint mechanism 14 for
transferring the movement on depression of the button to a
reciprocating slide 15. The joint mechanism 14 includes a first arm
18 connected to the operating unit 11 and a second arm 20 connected
to the slide 15. The first arm 18 is connected to the operating
unit 11 by the intermediary of a first pivot 17 and to the second
arm 20 by the intermediary of a second pivot 19.
In the illustrated embodiment, the first arm 18 is an elongate rod
of rectangular, T-shaped or other suitably formed cross section and
extends through the housing 16 together with the container 10. In
its position of rest, the slide 15 is placed directly beneath the
lower aperture of the container 10 so that the lowermost of the
tablets 12 accommodated in the container 10 may fall down into the
slide 15. Suitably, the slide 15 is therefore designed as a scoop
or the like with cup-shaped inner walls. Alternatively, the slide
may have a through-going aperture so that the lowermost tablet 12
rests on the inside of the bottom of the housing 16. The height of
the slide in this version corresponds to the thickness of one
tablet.
The button 11 is designed with outer dimensions which correspond to
the inner dimensions of the housing 16 for guiding the movement of
the button 11. In that portion of the housing where the button 11
moves, the housing 16 is flared somewhat so as to permit free
movement of the button 11 outside the container 10, see also FIG.
3. Beneath the button 11, and particularly beneath the lid 13,
there is disposed a first spring 21. The spring 21 extends partly
inside the container 10 and rests against a lid 23 located in the
container 10 and in its turn resting on the uppermost tablet 12.
The spring. 21 serves for advancement of the tablets and return on
depression of the button 11. The container 10 rests at the bottom
against an abutment 24 beneath which the slide 15 is movable in a
reciprocating movement transversely of the longitudinal direction
of the container.
The first spring 21 exercises a certain bias on the button 11.
Further spring bias is exercised by a second spring 22 which
departs from the first arm 18 and, in one preferred embodiment,
constitutes and integrated part thereof. As will be apparent from
FIG. 1, the second spring 22 is of S-configuration and abuts with
its free end against the inside of the housing 16, possibly against
a heel mounted thereon.
The second arm 20 merges in a first end in a portion 25 which is
flexible and foldingly connected to the slide 15 and which
constitutes a flexible power transmission means which converts a
pivotal movement (see below) of the arm 20 into a linear movement
in the slide 15. In a second end, the second arm 20 has a
transverse stub shaft 26 about whose centre axis the arm is
pivotal. On pivoting of the second arm 20 about the stub shaft 26,
the pivot 19 is bent and the folded portion 25 is straightened out
and imparts to the slide 15 a linear movement. In its opposing
ends, the stub shaft 26 is journalled in bushings secured on or of
one piece manufacture with the insides of the housing 16 (see FIGS.
1 and 3).
In FIG. 1, the button 11 has been depressed from a position shown
by ghosted lines, whereby the slide 15 has been partly shifted out
of the housing 16. On further depression of the button 11, the
slide 15 will be displaced further, so that the tablet 12 will be
accessible. In the alternative with a through-going aperture in the
slide, the tablet 12 falls down through the slide as soon as the
tablet is free from the bottom of the housing 16. FIG. 2 shows the
elongate housing 16 with a hole 27 made at the bottom, through
which the slide 15 may be displaced. It will further be apparent
that the second spring 22 projects out at a right angle from the
first arm 18 and extends beside the container 10.
The cross sectional view in FIG. 3 shows that lid 23 and the first
spring 21 abutting thereon. The second spring 22 extends beneath
the button 11 at the side of the container 10.
FIG. 4 shows the container 10 with tablets 12 placed therein and
the partly projecting slide 15. The slide 15 also holds a tablet
12. It will further be clearly apparent how the opposing ends of
the stub shaft 26 are accommodated in bushings, whereby the arm 20
and the stub shaft are pivotally journalled in the housing 16.
The container 10 may be designed in different manners and with a
different cross sectional configuration to that shown. However, it
is appropriate that its configuration be adapted to the
configuration of the tablets which are to be placed therein.
Preferably, both the housing 16 and the container 10 are
manufactured from plastic material. This also applies to the
operating unit 11, the joint mechanism 14, the slide 15 and the
second spring 22. In addition, these units are suitably injection
moulded in one piece.
The present invention should not be considered as restricted to
that described above and shown on the Drawings, many modifications
being conceivable without departing from the scope of the appended
Claims.
* * * * *